Cathy Bao Bean
Author of The Chopsticks Fork Principle, A Memoir and Manual
Cathy Bao Bean, author of The Chopsticks Fork Principle, A Memoir and Manual, is a daughter, mother, wife, friend, sister, aerobics instructor, business manager, and board member of the Claremont Graduate University School of the Arts and Humanities, the NJ Council for the Humanities and Society for Values in Higher Education.
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Full Bio
Cathy Bao Bean, Formerly a philosophy teacher at Montclair State College, she has served on the boards of the Claremont Graduate University School of the Arts and Humanities, NJ Council for the Humanities, Society for Values in Higher Education, Ridge and Valley Conservancy. Cathy is the author of The Chopsticks-Fork Principle, A Memoir and Manual and co-author of The Chopsticks-Fork Principle x 2, A Bilingual Reader, A co-host of the “Balancing Act 4 Women” on internet radio, Bao Bean is a member of The Star Ledger Scholarship Committee. In both her writing and public speaking, she crosses disciplines and mindsets to revel in the playgrounds and minefields of being at least bi-cultural (by ethnicity, gender, and generation).
Addressing audiences at a diversity of venues. She has presented at hundreds of universities, k-12 schools, prisons, libraries, U.S. government agencies (including the military), and a variety of companies and organizations from the commercial to legal in America and China.—she encourages people to take seriously the idea that only hermits are not at least bicultural and that understanding a culture requires understanding its humor. In doing so, she urges people and institutions to have the courage and curiosity to distinguish generalizing from stereotyping. Bao Bean’s ideas have also appeared in a diversity of resources from Undoing Whiteness in the Classroom: Critical Educultural Approaches for Social Justice Activism, edited by Virginia Lea and Erma Jean Sims to “Thea, Thee, or Me?” in the Willa Cather Newsletter & Review, Spring 2008.
The theme here and elsewhere is that we can “Americanize” by acting more like an immigrant, by being pleased to have several selves, by enjoying the freedom from having to choose only one way of being. Similar to the student who goes abroad to study and who is, thereby, experiencing the challenge, joy, exasperation, nervous attention, and triumph of being a member of the “minority” and trying to communicate in a different language or style, the gratifying outcome is not only the confidence but also the proficiency and flexibility to flourish in more than one way.
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Ernie was perfect for our Elders Conference at Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan. We will definitely be using PDA again!
LITTLE RIVER BAND OF OTTAWA INDIANS
Our speaker was great and the crowd enjoyed her! She was very engaging. Thank you again PDA for the great list of suggestions!
MEDTRONIC
Everything went great! and our speaker was wonderful! Thank you so much for all your help PDA! Looking forward to the next one.
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – KANSAS CITY
I hope that this message finds you well. We had a phenomenal time with Atsuko this past Thursday. We wanted to just let you know how amazing she was. All those that were in attendance thoroughly enjoyed her and had nothing but amazing things to say about her. Thank you for working with us to make sure this happened!
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
We had a fantastic day with Inge! She was very engaging with all those that attended. Her personal stories about the holocaust were very special and we were moved that she was willing to share them with everyone. Thank you again, PDA for all your hard work and dedication to make this program such a success!
SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dear PDA Group, Thank you so much for your hard work in scheduling our speaker! From the moment we reached out to you the first time, you worked with us on all details and logistics and kept us up-to-date on the progress. Thank you for all your hard work on making our event such a success! We couldn't have done it without you and your team!
SAP COMPANY
Thank you again, Dr. Kimbrough, for a great presentation, our attendees are still talking about it!
CAMPUS LABS
Dr. Henry Lee's presentation was entertaining, insightful and wise. I, and everyone at Pfizer, especially appreciate the remarks you directed about following your passion and preparing yourself to excel. Thank you, everyone, at PDA for helping to make this happen!
PFIZER
The event was successful! I received many messages expressing how awesome, outstanding and inspiring Ms. Webb-Christburg's speech was."
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL BREAKFAST, BOSTON, MLK SPEAKER
Everything went well. Atsuko was very easy to work with and the students enjoyed her performance! Thank you again for your recommendation and I hope to work with you again in the future!
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Dr. Novello left this morning after a very successful event on our campus! Thank you PDA Group for your help from the first phone to the last you were with us every step of the way.
GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Jordan Carlos was very very entertaining! A majority of students who answered the event survey indicated they really enjoyed Jordan and definitely will bring him back!
WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
On behalf of myself and my organization Entertainment Unlimited the Campus Programming Board of Ferris State University, we thank you PDA and Dan for a successful event!! Dan was magnificent! Students really enjoyed the presentation. I know I did. Can't wait to bring in more programs with PDA Group.
FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
It was a great pleasure to work with PDA Group! The communication was always prompt, friendly and helpful. We loved the speakers and events we booked through Mr. Peter Walker (PDA Group).
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Thank you, Peter, for all your help, you'll be happy to know that the event went incredibly well! Aneesa Ferreira was by far one of the best speakers we've ever had!
FURMAN UNIVERSITY
Topics
A Conversation With Cathy Bao Bean
Living and Laughing by the Chopsticks-Fork Principle: A Talk on Being At Least Bicultural
Videos
Cathy Bao Bean
Cathy Bao Bean: The Chopsticks Fork Principle
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Testimonials
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